Mrs. Shakespeare rarely gets much focus in works about the famed Elizabethan dramatists life. She barely gets referenced in the dialogue in Shakespeare in Love, for example, leaving Joseph Fiennes’ Will the Quill free to pursue Gwyneth Paltrow’s slumming aristo. But now here comes director Chloé Zhao, aiming to redress the balance with this acclaimed adaptation of the bestselling novel of the same name.
How to watch Hamnet in New Zealand
Hamnet is screening exclusively in New Zealand cinemas from January 15, 2026.
What is Hamnet about?
Hamnet takes a look at that old hack, William Shakespeare, largely through the eyes of his wife, Anne Hathaway (no, not that one), or possibly Agnes Hathaway—the details of her life are remarkably scant, leading to all manner of speculation about her relationship with the famous playwright. Here, the focus is the effect that the death of their 11-year-old son, the titular Hamnet, has on their marriage, beyond inspiring Shakespeare to write Hamlet. Don’t go in expecting a dry historical dissertation, though: Hamnet is all torrid emotion and suppressed feelings, set against a backdrop of intense religious and gender oppression.
The cast of Hamnet
Jessie Buckley is Agnes (or Anne) Shakespeare; Paul Mescal is William Shakespeare, husband and theatre enthusiast; Emily Watson is Mary Shakespeare, William’s mother; David Wilmot is John Shakespeare, William’s father; Jacobi Jupe is Hamnet Shakespeare; Olivia Lynes is Judith Shakespeare, Hamnet’s twin sister; Joe Alwyn is Bartholomew Hathaway, Anne’s brother; with Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Freya Hannan-Mills, Dainton Anderson, Elliot Baxter, Noah Jupe, and El Simons in supporting roles.
Hamnet trailer
Why we’re excited about Hamnet
Boasting an awards-worthy performance from Jessie Buckley, sumptuous cinematography, and a nuanced, elliptical storytelling style, Hamnet proves that Shakespeare’s life, not just his work, is still ripe for reinterpretation in the right hands.
